Staging Tips for Selling During the Holidays

By: SI DIGITAL MEDIA -

 

It’s that time of year again, and can you believe it?  Calendars are packed with holiday parties, and plenty of craziness to go around. Although 'tis not the season for real estate, but don’t you fret because a few brave house hunter’s may be coming your way.  By tastefully decorating you will make them want to ring in the New Year in your home.

The holidays are the time we spend with loved ones, very personal in so many ways. So when it comes to decorating, you want to make sure your decor is neutral and welcoming to the buyers. It’s the balance of romancing them and not trying to set a plate for them at your holiday parties.

Here are a few tips according to HDTV Accent Home Staging & Interiors on decorating your home.

•   Clean and stage. “Before you decorate, your house needs to be staged,” Powers says. If your living room is already piled high with clutter your ceramic reindeer collection is only going to add to the sense of overcrowding.

•   Create a cozy vibe. The less-is-more mantra of home staging may tempt you to forgo holiday cheer this year. But a few subtle touches like a bowl of pinecones, an evergreen wreath, or a pot of cider simmering on the stove can create a warm and festive feeling in your home.

•   Accentuate the positive. Too many trimmings may distract buyers, but the right accessories can draw attention to your home’s best features. Dangle mistletoe in an arched doorway, or display your menorah on the ledge of a bay window; just don’t block a beautiful view with stick-on snowflake decals or clutter an elegant fireplace with personalized stockings.

•  Go light on lights. Step away from the inflatable snowman, Clark Griswold. One man’s “merry” is another man’s “tacky,” so tone down any garish light displays while your home is on the market. (No, your neighbors didn’t pay us to say that.) Instead, use simple string lighting to play up your home’s architecture or draw attention to the gorgeous fir tree in your front yard.

•   Be an equal-opportunity decorator. Leave the life-sized Nativity scene in storage this year, because overtly religious flourishes may be off-putting to some buyers. “You want to keep neutrality throughout, so you can attract any type of buyer,” Powers says. Not sure what qualifies? Powers adds, “No matter what your religion is, you’re not going to feel offended by a nutcracker.”

•  Mind the tree. A tall Christmas tree can help you show off your two-story great room, but make sure the wide base won’t overwhelm the floor space. If your living area is on the small side, save space with a skinny tree. Swap the gaudy heirloom ornaments and trim your tree in a cohesive theme such as icicle lights and silver tinsel, for example, or blue and gold glass balls.

•   Clear the clutter. A few decorations can stir the holiday spirit, but don’t feel obliged to hang every last ornament. “A lot of people, when they decorate, tend to use all the extra space in their house,” Powers says. “You still want each space to look as spacious as possible.” Limit yourself to a few hints of holiday flair, but stash the rest in the basement for now. If you start to miss your Santa figurines, just remember that with a little luck, you’ll be celebrating next year’s holidays in a new home. And you can decorate that place any way you please.

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Targeting the next generation of home buyers!

 

 
 

In marketing no matter the field it is so important to know who are your target markets. In Real Estate you must understand what he/she are looking for, how they are searching for their dream home, and lastly you must know your customers characteristics!

The past 5 years in Real Estate has been challenging and deterring. Baby boomers are retiring and down sizing, but they do make up a high percentage as home sellers. Now with that said, whose buying?

Allow me to introduce you to Gen X ( mid 30s- 40 yrs. old) and Gen Y (20's- 30 yrs. old). According to a recent survey that was conducted by Better Homes and Garden Real Estate the housing market has not discouraged these two generations from wanting to purchase a home. This very same survey found that 75 percent of Gen X and Y respondents believe owning a home is a sign of success; 69 percent said the recent housing downturn made them more knowledgeable about homeownership than their parents were at their age!

"We have discovered the American Dream still involves home ownership and white picket fences for Americans, ages 18 to 35. Three-fourths of those surveyed (75 percent) believe that owning their own home is a key sign of success. In addition, 71 percent believe that homeownership is something that should be earned and is not simply a privilege."

With all that said we now know they mean business, so lets talk business !!!  Here are the facts in todays technological times Gen Y's are tech savvy and always on the go, and so when it comes to buying a home, they have different expectations and wants when compared to older buyers in the market.

Nine in ten home buyers used the internet to search for their future home.

 

This is why it is of no shock to hear 85% of home buyers find photographs useful, 83% found detailed property information useful and 61% found virtual tours very useful. It’s well-documented that Gen X-ers and Gen Y-ers start their home search online. Real estate listings sites, mortgage calculators and valuation tools such as Zillow’s Zestimate® home value are typically places a buyer starts.
 
Generation X buyers are currently driving the property market, they are the highest percentage of buyers in most of the regions throughout the country. The ages are between 36 and 49 years old.
 

The life style of most  Gen Y they are not married nor with children so their needs are different. They are more conscious of the environment and seek alternative methods such as going green! What does that mean... Homes with energy-saving eco features such as solar panels and gas appliances are high on the list of essentials for today’s younger buyers, who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint, while saving on utility costs.
To sum it all up gen X and Y are here stay so you must take them seriously. Target them with great photography and don't over bare them with abundance of information yet,  enough to keep them educated and in the know. If it hasn't been said already they are tech savvy and whether you are selling your home on your own or an agent trying to better understand what your dealing with use the internet!!! Get creative Gen Y will definitely be out there looking.



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Carpe Diem!

 

Can you believe it that it's August already? I sure can't! I have just recently returned from my most amazing Mexican vacation with 7 of my most closest friends! Since returning home I have fallen to the misfortune of over indulging in the Mexican sun and I now have sun poisoning eek.

Now with that said I can't go into work so I've been working from home  it has it's pluses and negatives, but I've decided to Carpe Diem!

Like most small businesses summer time is usually your slow time, obviously depending on your field. This is why I am writing this blog, take advantage of the slow time and revamp your business. This can mean fixing up your web site or creating one. Focus on marketing materials, price promotions and the MAIN one SWOT analysis.

 



 

SWOT Analysis is a useful technique for understanding your Strengths and Weaknesses, and for identifying both the Opportunities open to you and the Threats you face. Take the time to contact us at SI Digital Media to help you CARPE DIEM! Focus you and your company to capture your target market with new and exciting marketing materials and designs. Like our slogan says will help you look good online !

 

It is important to understand how SWOT can be beneficial to your business: Strength and weakness is referred to are often internal to your organization, while opportunities and threats generally relate to external factors. For this reason the SWOT Analysis is sometimes called Internal-External Analysis -

 

 What makes SWOT particularly powerful is that, with a little thought, it can help you uncover opportunities that you are well placed to exploit. And by understanding the weaknesses of your business, you can manage and eliminate threats that would otherwise catch you unawares.

 

So take this time to help your business grow by using SWOT analysis and SI Digital Media to guide you into the Fall with a brand new marketing strategy and of course looking better than EVER!!

 

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